[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 9, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1090-1091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00225]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP22-511-001]


Notice of Request for Extension of Time

    Take notice that on December 28, 2023, Ozark Gas Transmission, LLC 
(Ozark) requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
(Commission) grant an extension of time, until May 29, 2024, to 
complete construction and place into service the Ozark Supply Access 
Project (Project) located in Lawrence County, Arkansas. On September 
28, 2022, the Commission issued a Notice of Request Under Blanket 
Authorization, which established a 60-day comment period, ending on 
November 28, 2022, to file protests. No protests were filed during the 
comment period, and accordingly the project was authorized on November 
29, 2022 and by Rule should have been completed within one year.
    In its 2023 Extension of Time Request, Ozark states that it was not 
able to complete all the work associated with the Project by the 
November 29, 2023, deadline. To date Ozark reported completion of the 
Standing Rock Compressor Station modifications \1\ and the Loop Line 
\2\ portions of the Project as well as progress at the Raney Compressor 
Station and MRT Meter Station portions of the Project.\3\ There was no 
progress reported for the interconnection point with the Natural Gas 
Pipeline Company of America, LLC. Ozark attributes the delay to 
material procurement and delivery timelines still being behind schedule 
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Ozark states that obtaining 
approvals for final design and materials related to various elements of 
the new interconnection points from the other interstate pipelines has 
proved challenging. Finally, construction crews have experienced delays 
at times due to heavy rain leading to wet conditions. Accordingly, 
Ozark requests an extension of time until May 29, 2024, to complete 
construction of project facilities with in-service projected to occur 
at the beginning of May 2024.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Ozark's Weekly Status Report No. 22 (filed June 7, 2023) 
under Docket No. CP22-511-000, Accession No. 20230607-503-5039.
    \2\ See Ozark's Weekly Status Report No. 25 (filed June 28, 
2023) under Docket No. CP22-511-000, Accession No. 20230628-5018.
    \3\ See Ozark's Weekly Status Report No. 51 (filed December 27, 
2023) under Docket No. CP22-511-000, Accession No. 20231227-5034.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on Ozark's request for 
an extension of time may do so. No reply comments or answers will be 
considered. If you wish to obtain legal status by becoming a party to 
the proceedings for this request, you should, on or before the comment 
date stated below, file a motion to intervene in accordance with the 
requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 
CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the Natural Gas Act 
(NGA) (18 CFR 157.10).
    As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on 
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for NGA 
facilities when such requests are contested before order issuance. For 
those extension requests that are contested,\4\ the Commission will aim 
to issue an order acting on the request within 45 days.\5\ The 
Commission will address all arguments relating to whether the applicant 
has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the extension.\6\ The 
Commission will not consider arguments that re-litigate the issuance of 
the certificate order, including whether the Commission properly found 
the project to be in the public convenience and necessity and whether 
the Commission's environmental analysis for the certificate complied 
with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).\7\ At the time a 
pipeline requests an extension of time, orders on certificates of 
public convenience and necessity are final and the Commission will not 
re-litigate their issuance.\8\ The Director of the Office of Energy 
Projects, or his or her designee, will act on all of those extension 
requests that are uncontested.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1).
    \5\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \6\ Id. at P 40.
    \7\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance 
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed 
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the 
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied 
with NEPA.
    \8\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, the Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) using 
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three 
digits in the docket number field to access the document. Public access 
to records formerly available in the Commission's physical Public 
Reference Room, which was located at the Commission's headquarters, 888 
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426, are now available via the 
Commission's website. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected] or call toll free, (886) 208-3676 or TTY 
(202) 502-8659.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments 
in lieu of paper using the ``eFile'' link at http://www.ferc.gov. In 
lieu of electronic filing, you may submit a paper copy which must 
reference the Project docket number.
    To file via USPS: Debbie-Anne Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 
20426.
    To file via any other courier: Debbie-Anne Reese, Acting Secretary, 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, 
Maryland 20852.

[[Page 1091]]

    The Commission's Office of Public Participation (OPP) supports 
meaningful public engagement and participation in Commission 
proceedings. OPP can help members of the public, including landowners, 
environmental justice communities, Tribal members and others, access 
publicly available information and navigate Commission processes. For 
public inquiries and assistance with making filings such as 
interventions, comments, or requests for rehearing, the public is 
encouraged to contact OPP at (202) 502-6595 or [email protected].
    Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on January 18, 2024.

    Dated: January 3, 2024.
Debbie-Anne Reese,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2024-00225 Filed 1-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P